The Old Cherry Tree
by Evandar
Summary: As Myoga tells their story on the night of the new moon, InuYasha and Sesshoumaru try to overcome their differences. But will they manage to do it before the sun rises? SxIY incest yaoi shonen ai
1. Chapter 1

The Old Cherry Tree

by Evandar

Chapter 1

InuYasha shifted in his sleep, strands of his long black hair falling over his face. Miroku had managed to find them a safe place to stay on the night of the new moon, as well as some food, and InuYasha had quickly succumbed to his exhaustion.

While the half demon slept, it was Kagome and Sango's turn to keep an eye out for anything suspicious; after all, just because the village seemed safe, nothing meant that it actually was, or that it would stay that way.

The two girls talked and giggled quietly about unimportant things so that they would stay awake, until a soft moan interrupted their soft conversation. They got up and looked out of the door, and the windows to see if anyone was there, but when they saw that no one was, they dismissed it as nothing. Then they heard it again.

"What is that?" Kagome asked, turning to look at Sango, only to find her staring at InuYasha with a blush staining her cheeks. Kagome looked too.

InuYasha shifted again under the blanket that their host had leant him and arched his back at an invisible touch; shuddering and crying out in pleasure. He shot upright a few seconds later, panting and grasping at his left shoulder, an expression of shock on his face.

Ignoring the embarrassed girls, he got up and dashed to the window, throwing it open and jumping out before sprinting through the village towards the forest that bore his name. Kagome ran to the window as well, hanging out of it as she stared after him.

"InuYasha!" she called out. "InuYasha, where are you going? It's not safe!"

He made no reply; he continued to run, vanishing into the tree line.

.I.S.

InuYasha ran and ran. He had to see his mate; he knew he was close, and if the Mark was playing up then he had to know why. They had been separated for so long that he hadn't been able to feel anything through it until now, and what a thing to feel! The sudden, gut wrenching pain halfway through a dream-memory of the last time he had been with his mate had awoken him, and filled him with such an urgency to see his mate that he had left safety during his most vulnerable time to see someone that he had not exchanged a kind word with in over fifty years.

Part of him was screaming that he should stop. That he should turn back and not go, or to at least wait until morning when he would be back in his true form and able to defend himself; he hadn't even brought Tetsusaiga. But his demonic instincts overruled that voice and he continued deeper into the forest. He had to keep going.

.I.S.

Miroku, Shippo, Kilala and Myoga had all been awoken by Kagome's shout and were all instantly on the alert.

"What's wrong? Miroku asked. "What happened?"

"It's InuYasha!" she cried, almost hysterical. "He's gone!"

"What?" Miroku yelped.

"At first it just looked like he was, you know, having a really nice dream, but he woke up suddenly, looking really shocked and he grabbed his shoulder. Then he got up, leapt out of the window and ran off into the forest", Sango recounted.

"His shoulder?" asked Myoga from his perch on Kilala's head. Sango nodded. "Did you see which one?"

"His left", Kagome answered. "Why? Do you know something Myoga?"

The Flea Demon sighed and nodded. "Don't go and look for him", he told them. "He wouldn't want you to, and, as all of this is partially my fault, I owe it to him to keep you here. But, I also owe it to you to tell you why he has gone and why you cannot follow.

"I must warn you, the story is long. It starts many, many years ago, when InuYasha was just a baby..."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to all my reviewers.

The Old Cherry Tree

by Evandar

Chapter 2

--Warning: This chapter has mentions of shota--

InuYasha stopped dead at the edge of a small clearing. There he was, his mate, waiting for him. He stepped out of the cover of the trees and into the open space and faced the taller older demon. He hadn't changed at all since the day they had mated; he was still as cold, aloof and as perfectly beautiful as he had always been.

The older demon looked at InuYasha with hurt, sorrow and mistrust in his eyes.

"InuYasha", he said in greeting.

"Sesshoumaru."

.I.S.

"InuYasha was a sweet child and everyone in the Castle of the Western Lands loved him on sight, despite his half-demon status, and his parents were so very proud of him. But no one loved him quite as much as his older brother; Prince Sesshoumaru.

"At the time, Sesshoumaru was a samurai, and he was a famous and mighty warrior, even though he was only as old as InuYasha is now. Out of dislike for his father and outright contempt for his human step mother, he delayed his first meeting with InuYasha for as long as he could while still keeping his reputation as the well-mannered and respectable Prince. So, when he finally did go to see his brother for the first time, Inu Yasha was already two months old.

"As soon as he entered InuYasha's room, Sesshoumaru changed. He became happier, almost as if he had been set free. He fell in love that morning, but none of us knew how deeply. He began to spend more and more time at the Castle and during the time he was there, he was never seen away from his younger brother. They were truely inseparable. Even when he was away, he never stopped thinking about InuYasha. He would send home expensive presents; fine silk kimono, practise swords, pens and inks...nothing was too good for the young Prince.

"But it wasn't until InuYasha had turned ten that the Inutaishou realised just how wrong he had been to trust InuYasha with his eldest son..."

.I.S.FLASHBACK.I.S

Sesshoumaru leant back against the old cherry tree and smiled as he watched InuYasha play. They had finished the boy's training session for the day, but now InuYasha was using the moves Sesshoumaru had taught him to pretend to cut down a multitude of demons. When he finally grew tired he ran over to Sesshoumaru and flopped down onto the older demon's lap, leaning his head against his chest.

"Do you think I'll be a samurai like you one day?" he asked.

"If you keep up with your training, then yes", Sesshoumaru replied. "I can't see why you shouldn't be able to become one."

InuYasha beamed at him for his encouraging reply and cuddled up closer to his brother. Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around the boy and dropped a light kiss onto the top of his head, just between his pointed dog ears. His younger brother squirmed in his lap and Sesshoumaru felt his body begin to react, not just to the movement, but the smell of his future mate.

When InuYasha looked back up at him again with happiness glowing in his eyes, Sesshoumaru could no longer restrain himself. He leant down and pressed his lips to those of his younger brother in a sweet, chaste kiss that made his head spin. When he pulled away InuYasha looked up at him with naive desire and pulled Sesshoumaru back down for more.

.I.S.END.FLASHBACK.I.S.

"That was how their father found them; locked together in a passionate, open-mouthed embrace, surrounded by fallen cherry blossoms. Furious, he dragged them apart from one another and sent InuYasha back up to the Castle while he dealt with Sesshoumaru. His punishment was exile; he was never to return to the Western Lands while his father was still alive.

"InuYasha cried for weeks after Sesshoumaru left, and even though none of them knew what exactly had happened, all of the household staff said that InuYasha was acting as if he had lost his mate. They didn't know how close they were. Every year, on the anniversary of that day, he would go down to the garden and sit under the charry tree, crying for his brother.

"But Sesshoumaru had not abandoned him, like InuYasha thought. He would send gifts and messages, telling him that he would come back one day and that InuYasha had to remain strong. But none of those messages or gifts ever reached him; they were burnt on the Inutaishou's orders and InuYasha was never to be told of their existence."

.I.S.

"You came", Sesshoumaru observed. "I didn't think you would; your little whore usully keeps you on a tighter leash than this. And in your human form too, without Tetsaiga, not that you could use it. This does make my job easier."

He advanced on the surprised human in front of him, his poisonous claws cracking out, dripping their green venom as he readied himself for the kill.

"Why?" InuYasha asked suddenly. "Why do you want to kill me? I know that I've been a terrible mate, but what did I do to displease you so?"

Sesshoumaru paused, lowering his hand. He was confused too; his brother did not smell like he was biding his time, or indeed like he was hiding anything. Could it be? Was it possible that he was innocent after all?

"You betrayed me", he said, but there was no longer real conviction in his voice.


	3. Chapter 3

I forgot to do a disclaimer, so I'd like to remind everyone that I do not own InuYasha and that I am making no money from this story.

Thanks to all my reviewers.

The Old Cherry Tree

by Evandar

Chapter 3

"How did I betray you?" InuYasha asked. "Everything I've done was for you, for us. I only left you so that I would become a better mate."

"I didn't want a better mate, I wanted you," Sesshoumaru snapped back. "But it doesn't matter now."

"Sesshoumaru? Please, tell me what I did," InuYasha begged.

"You cheated," Sesshoumaru replied softly. "Twice."

.I.S.

"When the Inutaishou left the Castle to rescue InuYasha and the Lady Izayoi that fateful day, he knew something might happen to him. His last request to Jaken and I was to keep Sesshoumaru away from InuYasha, and to stop them from mating at all costs. We never saw him alive again.

"InuYasha, thankfully, was returned to us safely, and Sesshoumaru returned to the Western Lands as the new Inutaishou. Their reconcilliation took a while; InuYasha believed that he had been left behind that Sesshoumaru had forgotten about him. For a time, it appeared that their father's wish would be fulfilled.

"But Jaken loved Sesshoumaru and could not bear to see him hurt. He had been Sesshoumaru's retainer since his birth and treated him almost as if he was his own son. He told InuYasha of his father's deception and his brother's absolute dedication. InuYasha went to Sesshoumaru that night and just a week later their engagement was announced. InuYasha was just thirty, and I had failed my Lord."

.I.S.

"Cheated? InuYasha asked incredulously. "What? When? With who? What? Where on earth did you hear that rubbish?"

"The shrine maiden", Sesshoumaru retorted.

"Kikyou?" InuYasha gasped.

"And that slut you follow everywhere," Sesshoumaru added.

"Kagome?"

.I.S.

"InuYasha was just a pup so he was not ready to mate physically or emotionally, hence the engagement, but that gave him plenty of time for his education. He was taught all about demonic rituals, as well as fighting and language, but he also used this opportunity to learn everything he could about his mate.

"I tried to dissuade him as much as I could, telling him that Sesshoumaru didn't love him and only wanted him for his powers, which were developing well. But InuYasha did not believe me, and he told Sesshoumaru what I had said to him. This time, it was I who was exiled."

.I.S.

InuYasha stood silently, staring at his mate, completely shell-shocked by Sesshoumaru's accusition. Him and...Kagome? Lovers? He shook his head vigorously.

"I'm tied to her, and collecting the jewel shards is my responsibility, but," he paused, wondering how to say what he needed to. "She's like a little sister to me, nothing more. She's never been anything more than that. And as for Kikyou, she though we were in love, but all I wanted was the jewel."

"You said that you would become a full human for her," Sesshoumaru argued.

"I lied."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own or make money from this.

A/N: This is the last chapter in this part of The Old Cherry Tree Arc (yes this is part of a story arc). Think of this as a Prologue to the longer and better Fic that will be Volume 2. Don't worry though, the first chapter of the next part has already been written and will be posted within the week.

The Old Cherry Tree

by Evandar

Chapter 4

"I lied to her," InuYasha repeated. "I told her what she wanted to hear in return for the jewel. There was never anything else between us. Where did you hear this?"

"Your retainer told me that you were in love with her, so I went to find you," Sesshoumaru explained. "I watched as you promised yourself to her."

"I was lying to her!" InuYasha cried. "Dammit! Why aren't you listening to me? I love you."

Acting on impulse, he embraced Sesshoumaru, wrapping his arms around the older demon's neck and resting his head against the furry boa that adorned his brother's shoulder. He tilted his head up and began to nip and lick at the underside of Sesshoumaru's chin submissively.

Sesshoumaru paused, inhaling the scent of his estranged mate, shock written all over his usually cold features. InuYasha had been telling the truth and he had been trying to kill his faithful mate. He wrapped his arm around InuYasha, crushing their bodies together. Sesshoumaru knew that he was shaking, and that InuYasha was crying; he could smell his mate's tears. He rested his cheek gently against his younger brother's forehead and let his tears fall for the first time in fifty years.

.I.S.

"I was not present for the public mating ceremony that took place seventy five years later, but I heard later on that it was a spectacular affair; with a huge banquet and lavish gifts for all that attended.

"InuYasha was still very young, but he was an early bloomer and had started his heat cycle in his mid eighties, so it was all perfectly legal in demon lore. It was thought by many, though, that he was too young, and an unsuitable mate for Sesshoumaru.

"For a while, InuYasha proved his sceptics wrong. They were happily mated for over six hundred years, but in the end, their relationship began to fall apart.

"As a half-breed, InuYasha is infertile; he can neither sire nor bear children. This created a problem; as the mate of an Inutaishou, it was InuYasha's responsibilty to give Sesshoumaru an heir. Determined to stop the growing rift between them, InuYasha left the Western Lands in search of the one thing that could make him a full demon; the Shikon no Tama.

"As soon as I heard of InuYasha's quest, I sought him out. I did not speak to him, instead I simply watched as he used trickery to seduce the priestess Kikyou and persuade her to give the jewel to him.

"But InuYasha was not alone in leaving the Western Lands. Sesshoumaru had grown worried about his mate and, accompanied by Jaken, had gone in search of him. I knew that this could bemy only chance to fulfill my Lord's last request and separate them.

"I went to Sesshoumaru and told him that InuYasha had betrayed him and fallen in love with another. He was furious and threatened to kill me, so I told him to go and see for himself. I do not know what he saw or heard, but he returned ashen-faced and declared that InuYasha was a traitor and no longer his mate. That day, he swore to kill him and end both their lives, but that oath was not fulfilled as just a week later, InuYasha was sealed against the Goshinboku tree and the priestess Kikyou was dead.

"Sesshoumaru visited the place where InuYasha was bound, seemingly forever, just the once. That was the first and only time that I have seen him cry and afterwards he retuned to the Western Lands and revoked my exile. Unfortunately, Sesshoumaru was not as good a ruler after he learned of his mate's suposed infidelity; he shut himself away from the rest of the world and surrounded his heart in ice.

"I was surprised that my plan had worked; with a happily mated couple it would not have done, but their bond must have deteriorated enough by that point for such doubts to be able to slip in.

"Now that I have told my tale; you know what has happened since InuYasha's reawakening, you must be wondering about tonight's events. Don't worry, I will explain them. The pain that InuYasha was experiencing through the Mark tonight was a sign that his mating bond with Sesshoumaru has deteriorated so far that it is about to break. If they do not overcome their differences by sunrise and renew the bond, it will snap and they will both die.

.I.S.

After a while, InuYasha pulled away from his mate and looked up at him curiously.

"Sesshoumaru, the Mark, why is it hurting like this?" he asked. Sesshoumaru sighed softly.

"It is a warning," he explained. "The bond we share is breaking and when it does, we will die. InuYasha...if you consent, I should like to take you as my mate and renew our bond once more."

InuYasha beamed up at them before leaning in close and pressing his lips to his brother's.

"You have my consent," he murmured, pulling away and undoing his haori and the yukata he wore under it, letting them slip from his shoulders to pool on the ground at his feet. "Do I have yours?"

"Of course," Sesshoumaru murmured back as he removed his sash, armour and boa before slipping out of his red and white kimono.

Then, the two brothers embraced again, nuzzling at each others' necks and sinking their teeth into the old scars that were their mating Marks, claiming one another once more.

.I.S.

Kagome stood at the edge of the village with her companions, a worried expression on her face. The sun had risen and they had no way of knowing if InuYasha was alive or not.

"Come on," Miroku said suddenly, breaking the silence that had surrounded them since the end of Myoga's tale. "We'd better look for him."

With that he set off for the forest, soon joined by the others.

"Do you think that he's alive?" Kagome asked.

"I hope so," Miroku replied softly. "I really do hope so."

END


End file.
